The present invention relates to the field of fuel supply assemblies, and more particularly, to a clip for attachment of a fuel injector to a fuel supply device.
There are many types of attachment devices to retain a fuel injector to a fuel supply device. The attachment device may be a clip that secures a fuel injector inserted into a cup, which is part of the fuel supply device. Each clip is a separate part and thus, it is believed that elimination of the clip will reduce the number of parts required in the assembly of a fuel supply system.
The present invention provides a fuel supply assembly having a fuel injector and a fuel supply device. The fuel injector has a first and second end, a fuel metering portion with a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, an outer shell surrounding the fuel metering portion and at least one fixing member. The fixing member extends generally radially from the outer shell proximate to the first end and has a leg, a portion of which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. A cross member is located transverse to the portion of the leg and has a projection that has a substantially planar surface and that extends toward the outer shell. The fuel supply device has a cup with an injector receiving opening and at least one connecting member. The connecting member has a mating surface adapted to engage the substantially planar surface of the fixing member.
The present invention also provides a method of connecting a fuel cup to a fuel injector. The method includes: providing a fuel injector, having a first and second end and a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, and a fuel supply device, where the fuel injector includes an outer shell and at least one fixing member that extends generally radially from the outer shell and that has a cross member transverse to the leg, where the cross member has a projection, which has a substantially planar surface and extends toward the outer shell, and a surface extending toward the second end and toward the longitudinal axis, and the fuel supply device has a cup with at least one connecting member, where the connecting member has a mating surface; inserting the cup over the first end of the fuel injector; engaging the at least one fixing member with the surface extending toward the second end; biasing the surface extending toward the second end and the cross member from a first position to a second position away from the longitudinal axis; and engaging the substantially planar surface of the projection with the mating surface of the connecting member so that the cross member returns toward the first position.
The present invention also provides a method of disengaging a fuel cup from a fuel injector. This method includes: providing a fuel injector, having a first and second end and a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, and a fuel supply device, where the fuel injector includes an outer shell and at least one fixing member that extends generally radially from the outer shell and that has a cross member transverse to the leg, where the cross member has a projection, which has a substantially planar surface and extends toward the outer shell, and a surface extending toward the second end and toward the longitudinal axis, and the fuel supply device has a cup with at least one connecting member, where the connecting member has a mating surface; pressing the cup into the fuel injector along the longitudinal axis; biasing the cross member from a first position to a second position away from the longitudinal axis, where the mating surface of the connecting member releases from the substantially planar surface of the projection; and advancing the cup along the longitudinal axis away from the second end and releasing the projection so that the cross member returning toward the first position.